First build: quilted maple top Strat

[Jesse]

Hey everyone, just registered on the forum a few days back and wanted to say hello.  I've been a big Ibanez player and collector for a number of years but I wanted an actual Strat, without the "super" aspects of the other stuff I have.

I've actually had this body since May.  I picked it up when there was that terrific 20% off sale.  I'd been considering custom building something very similar, but the deals were too good to pass up so I pulled the trigger.  My only real gripe with this body is the lack of the contoured heel.  I can understand that on more traditional bodies, but this is a drop top and far from traditional.

Anyway, enough griping about this beautiful thing!  This is a solid alder body with a quilted maple top in Jungle Burst finish.  It has a natural masked binding and is trans green on the back. Sorry about the poor focus on the second pic, but the bridge is a Gotoh EV510T-FE in black.  This one will have all black hardware.

 

[bagman67]

Welcome aboard, Jesse.  That's a handsome specimen you've selected.  What are you plans for the electronics and the neck?

 

[Jesse]

Thanks.  Neck just shipped yesterday so I should get it soon.  I had intended to do a quartersawn canary neck with an oil finish and a macassar board, but then they posted those all ebony necks in the Showcase and that plan few right out the window.

So that's thrown a wrench in my pickup plans.  My whole reason for doing a Strat was to get a low power pickup with sparkly cleans, but I feel like I now can't go for a typical Strat pickup with an all ebony neck.  So I'm open to suggestions there.  Pots/switch/jack I'll go CTS or some other quality thing.  Haven't given that a ton of thought.

 

[musicispeace]

Hi Jesse. Some of the other forum members should chime in over the next few days and have some good input. I think at least one member has an all ebony neck on a tele. You could search that on the forum and maybe PM him for his thoughts. When I decided I was now a partscaster guy people in this forum have really been a help. Might be interesting to search youtube for any vids with all ebony necks or with all Pau Ferro since they would also be in a similar tonal neighborhood. I sort  of don't think an all ebony neck limits your pickup selection but see what others think and ultimately it has to all square with your ideas. I was an Ibanez player when I was first into the guitar years ago and had a couple humbucking Ibanez's that were great. When I started playing again and went the parts guitar route I became a strat player. I've gone with vintage style/output pickups and have no complaints. But my interest is blues music and those fit that well. Keep monitoring the forum and best to you in your project.

 

[bagman67]

Well, it's hard to stop at just one, so don't give up on that canarywood idea.  My green tele with the canary neck (black ebony fretboard) is hands-down my favorite axe. 

 

[stratamania]

Welcome and look forward to seeing the guitar come together.

That looks very nice. I can imagine it looks even better not in a photo. The purple strat linked in my signature has a quilted top and a Gotoh trem and none of the photos really do it justice.

 

[Jesse]

Might be interesting to search youtube for any vids with all ebony necks or with all Pau Ferro since they would also be in a similar tonal neighborhood. I sort  of don't think an all ebony neck limits your pickup selection but see what others think and ultimately it has to all square with your ideas. I was an Ibanez player when I was first into the guitar years ago and had a couple humbucking Ibanez's that were great. When I started playing again and went the parts guitar route I became a strat player. I've gone with vintage style/output pickups and have no complaints. But my interest is blues music and those fit that well. Keep monitoring the forum and best to you in your project.

Thanks.  I actually do have a guitar with an all Pau Ferro neck, an RBM2NT (see attached).  But that's a mahogany body with a koa top so I would expect the that to balance out the neck somewhat.  That guitar also has an EMG 85 in the bridge, which is usually used as a neck pickup, so it's EQ'd a bit differently.  My concern with typical Strat pickups is that they're very treble-biased and could end up overly bright in this guitar.  I've been looking at a few hum cancelling DiMarzios that have more of a balanced EQ.

Well, it's hard to stop at just one, so don't give up on that canarywood idea.  My green tele with the canary neck (black ebony fretboard) is hands-down my favorite axe.

That's also partially how I justified the neck.  I figured, "Well if I don't like it I'll just get the neck I intended and then build another guitar."  I mean, it's only money, right?

Welcome and look forward to seeing the guitar come together.

That looks very nice. I can imagine it looks even better not in a photo. The purple strat linked in my signature has a quilted top and a Gotoh trem and none of the photos really do it justice.

I can tell even from the pictures, that is an incredible looking finish.  I'm sure that's a sweet guitar.

 

[ancient_owl]

Now I want a green-lime guitar :laughing3: